This past year’s EFCA Theology Conference addressed the important theme of “Christian Faithfulness in a Changing Culture.” I am thankful to the Lord for how he blessed the Conference. It was encouraging, edifying and challenging. For those of you who attended the Conference, you now have an opportunity to listen again. For those who were unable to attend, you now have the opportunity to hear and process for the first time. The links to all the lectures, lecture notes and panels are now posted on our EFCA website.

One of the best ways to glean and gain from the Conference is to process the material with others. As that is done, it is important to think through the truths that are communicated and then to ponder the implications of those truths in one’s life and the application in one’s own local ministry.

When I had the privilege of serving as a pastor of a local church whenever I would attend a conference I would invite elders and other leaders to join me. In this way we learned from others and then we learned with each other as we processed together in the context of relationships, fellowship, centered in the Word of God. I learned that this was one important way of ingesting, digesting and being strengthened to be faithful in ministry.

Greg Strand

Affectionately called “Walking Bible” by his youngest daughter, Greg Strand has a ministry history that goes back to 1982. Since that time, he has served in local church ministry in a variety of ministry capacities: youth pastor, associate pastor of adult ministries and senior pastor. He is currently the EFCA's Executive Director of Theology and Credentialing. Greg reads voraciously and never stops learning — a passion reflected in the overflowing bookshelves that spill from his library to multiple offices. And he could tell you about each of those books! His hunger for learning pales in contrast to his great love for God and for teaching the Word of God.